Everyman

In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances.

Description

The contemporary everyman differs greatly from his (or her) medieval counterpart in many respects. While the medieval everyman was devoid of definite marks of individuality in order to create a universality in the moral message of the play, the contemporary storyteller may use an everyman for amoral, immoral, or demonstrative purposes.

Uses

The everyman character is constructed so that the audience can imagine themselves in the same situation without having to possess knowledge, skills, or abilities that transcend human potential. Such characters react realistically in situations that are often taken for granted with traditional heroes.

Alternatively, an everyman occupies the role of protagonist without being a "hero" and without necessarily being a round character or a dynamic character. In this scenario, the everyman is developed like a secondary character, but the character's near omnipresence within the narrative shifts the focus from character development to events and story lines surrounding the character. Some audiences or readers may project themselves into this character, if no dominant characteristic of the everyman prevents them from doing so. Others may ignore the character and concentrate on the story arc, the visual imagery, the irony or satire, and any other aspect of the story which the orchestrator(s) of the story have focused upon or, indeed, whatever personally interests the reader.

Fictional character biography

Everyman is a shapeshifter, who can physically transform into another person after eating part of their body. He was generally unpopular with his teammates, mostly due to his searching for components of his teammates' living matter (e.g. hair and toenail clippings) to eat. It was later revealed that he had killed his teammate Skyman, and had been masquerading as him for quite some time. During the impersonation, he 'assisted' Natasha Irons in her investigation of Lex Luthor's super-human program. Skyman's ravaged body was shown; Hannibal stated that though he only needs a small portion, he just likes the taste. Natasha, who was romantically involved with Skyman, battled and nearly subdued Everyman, until Lex Luthor saved him.

Publication history

The character subsequently appears as Zeitgeist in Alpha Flight #78 (December 1989), and Captain America #390 (August 1991), #393 (October 1991), and #442 (August 1995), in which he is killed.

Zeitgeist received an entry in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #12 (2006).

Fictional character biography

Larry Ekler was the son of Milton Ekler, a hard-working lower class man who never gave up on the American dream, though he eventually died penniless. Larry decided that the American dream was a sham. Larry intended to take up the cause of the common man and start a revolution. To really start things going, he and his followers became determined to assassinate Captain America in public. Styling himself as a "defender of the people", Everyman sought to avenge his father's death on all of society. His primary weapon is a sword which can emit a lethal electrical shock. The Everyman challenged Captain America to a duel to the death at the Statue of Liberty. When he began to lose during the duel, Everyman took one of his own followers hostage, but that did not prevent Captain America from defeating him and taking him into custody.